Buhari using appointments to impose regional dominance — group

A socio economic group, the Akwa Ibom Interest Movement AIM, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of trying to use his recent appointments to impose a regional dominance of the North on Nigerians at the expense of other regions across the country.
The AIM made its position known in a statement signed by its National Convener, Barrister Sammy Etuk, and made available to Nigerian Pilot in Uyo.
It said that the action was a deliberate strategy by the President to discourage the political, economic and social development of the Southern part of the country querying whether there were no credible persons from other regions.
It expressed concern that more than 85% of appointments so far made by the President were from the North with the three geo political zones of the South sharing a mere 15%.
“President Buhari’s action is not only inimical to our collective unity as a country, but also a deliberate attempt to politically and economically strangulate other regions of the country with the aim of impoverishing and ultimately shutting them out of the government at the center.
“Upon assumption of office on the 29th day of May, 2015, President Buhari had in his inaugural speech claimed; ‘I belong to everybody and belong to no one.’
“However, through words and deeds he has shown that he is out to promote a regional agenda by ensuring that over 85% of his appointees as at date is drawn from his northern region while the remaining 15% is shared between the South West and South South regions. The South East is completely shut out of the President’s scheme of things,” it maintained.
The group maintained that the recent appointments would suggest that there were no credible persons suitable for appointment from other parts of the country aside from the North.
“Nigerians know better that he belongs to only a particular section of Nigeria by concentrating on appointing only his kiths and kins to fill key positions in the central government.
“Mr. President, who claims he can only work with credible and incorruptible Nigerians, impugns the credibility of other regions of the country as he paints the picture that other parts of the country lack people who fall within his criteria. The question begging for answer is whether there are no credible persons from other parts of the country?”
“While conceding that Buhari as the President has the prerogative of appointing people into his government, AIM however stressed that section 14(3) of the Constitution has made it imperative that such appointments be made in a manner that would reflect federal character and promote national unity.
“The north does not have a monopoly of credible and incorruptible people, other integral parts of Nigeria can also boast of highly competent, skilled and credible persons who can serve in any key capacity in the country,” the statement concluded.